Rohit Valecha

India

Rohit is passionate about peacebuilding and the positive social impact of visual art. Inspired by the power of cinema, he founded Meri Kahaani, an initiative that documents the lived experiences of women across India.  These stories reached thousands online, creating safe spaces for women to connect, and sparked conversations about positive masculinity among men also. He also founded Roobaroo, an organization that uses art and music to blur the boundaries between India and Pakistan. Rohit believes that art is the prime catalyst to bring about positive, social transformation in the world, and he will use the diploma to amplify the voices of marginalized people.

Bianca Fernandes

Brazil

Bianca was our 2022 Rotary International scholarship winner. She has volunteered with her local Rotaract Club (an arm of Rotary) for over 4 years, participating in projects aimed at providing basic assistance to people in vulnerable situations, and promoting education and leadership among young people. She is also part of Centro Cultural Fazendo Arte, an NGO based in Rio de Janeiro, where she teaches English to local children and assists the coordinators in communication and fundraising initiatives.  With her diploma, Bianca wishes to acquire the tools and knowledge to continue her work at the Rotary in supporting new social entrepreneurs and impacting the well-being of her whole community.

Zaw Lin

Myanmar

Zaw is the co-founder of Yar Ta’ang Social Enterprise in Myanmar. The country's political crisis was followed by the pandemic and then the devaluation of the region's primary source of income, tea production. With limited resources, Zaw and his brilliant team helped combat the region's socioeconomic challenges by approaching local farmers to sell their harvest online. 

They coordinated transportation, packaging, and promoted everything on social media, offering an economic alternative to those in dire need. With this diploma, Zaw's dream is to expand his organization's work and share the knowledge he learns with his team and community to empower and upskill everyone they help.